Houthi fighters clash with Yemeni government forces in southwest

September 3, 2026 at 09:13 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Houthi fighters launched a broad offensive west of Taiz province on Thursday, attempting to cut the road linking Taiz to al-Makha. Yemeni government forces regained control of some areas that had fallen under Houthi control, according to government officials. The fighting killed at least 18 Houthi fighters and 13 government forces.

Key Facts

Houthi fighters attempted to cut the road linking Taiz to al-Makha on Thursday, aiming to sever Taiz city from the coast.
Yemen's Army Media Centre said Houthis fired 14 ballistic missiles and launched drones at populated districts in Taiz and Hodeidah provinces.
More than 18 Houthi fighters were killed and others wounded or captured in clashes with Yemeni forces on Thursday, according to the Army Media Centre.
An unnamed military source told AFP that 13 government forces were killed in the fighting.
The army shot down three Houthi drones in Jabal Habashi district in Taiz governorate, Saba news agency reported.

The Offensive

Houthi fighters launched a broad offensive along front lines on the western Red Sea coast, attempting to advance and cut the road linking Taiz to al-Makha. Taking control of al-Makha would cut off government forces from a strategic supply route and give the Houthis a foothold in the Red Sea, a key maritime route for oil exports and global trade, according to Al Jazeera's Yousef Mawry. Yemeni government officials reported that their forces regained control of some areas that had fallen under Houthi control. The Houthis attacked army positions in the Maqbanah Mountains west of Taiz province and attempted to infiltrate areas of al-Ahtoub, al-Tuwair, al-Kadha and Jabal Ghabari, the Army Media Centre said.

Casualties and Attacks

Yemen's Army Media Centre said the Houthis fired 14 ballistic missiles and launched drones at populated districts in Taiz and Hodeidah provinces. More than 18 Houthi fighters were killed and others wounded or captured as they clashed with Yemeni forces in the southwestern part of the country on Thursday, the media centre said. An unnamed military source told AFP that 13 government forces were killed in the fighting, with most deaths on the front lines between al-Makha and Taiz and others near the Red Sea coast. A field officer in al-Makha told AFP his men were fighting fiercely to repel the offensive and thwarted an attack with two booby-trapped boats that exploded near the port.

Drone Interceptions

The Yemen News Agency Saba reported that the army shot down three Houthi drones in the Jabal Habashi district in Taiz governorate. Government forces were engaged in fierce clashes with Houthi fighters on the al-Barah front, west of Taiz city, according to Saba. Over the past weeks, fighting has intensified in Yemen, with exchanges of fire and drone attacks reported across nearly the entire frozen front line.